His Forced Wife [On Hold]

11 | To Be Honest

Vanraj :

I drove back home, as Malvika sat beside me, gazing out of the window. The smile that had appeared on her face, never left her. It was late because we had stayed back to enjoy the complete character destruction of Mister Kulkarni.
The roads of the town looked almost isolated.

"Are you going to smile creepily all the way back home?", I asked finally as we stopped at a traffic signal.
She looked at me with narrowed eyes.
"I am not smiling creepily. Okay?", She said.
"Yeah, it's just that your smile is scarier than Joker's.", I replied simply, earning a punch on my forearm.

"Boring Bear, Can you turn on the music please?", She said as I sighed.
"First decide which animal I am. Some days I am a monkey, now I am a bear, by name I am a lion. Sometimes I feel like a zoo.", I said exhausted. She started giggling.
"I am telling you.. You are a chameleon! You keep changing shades and confusing everyone.", She said as if it was the funniest joke.

I looked at her, too tired of being annoyed by now.
"Thanks. Great complement. Feeling blessed with my three thousand other shades.", I said emotionlessly.

She turned on the radio and started singing along happily.

"You know you remind me of my five year old, Pakhi.", I said honestly, as I turned the volume low. She looked at me with narrowed eyes.
"Yeah, she also gets annoyed when I reduce the volume.", I said with a wink.

"Huh! Boring Chameleon!", She said crossing her hands before her, "Only because you look hot and have a sharp jawline, I stayed back."

"What are you? A fourteen year old girl searching for a boyfriend? Sharp jawline, physique, non sense.", I asked straight away as I pulled in the car before my house.

"At least I am not an aunty, like you.", She said with a wink before hoping out of the car in an instance.

If you saw superficially it was the very same Malvika Singhania I had met a few weeks ago, but there was a different glow on her face. Her eyes didn't hide anything. She looked like she was free from her self created cage.

I smiled as she said "Heya! How ya doing?", to the tulsi plant as she entered the house.

...

Malvika :

When I stepped into the Shekhawat house I noticed the blaring television.
And the grim faces of his mother and brother.
I heard Vanraj come and stand behind me. 

The news reporter, a woman in her mid twenties said the headlines in over excitement, "And Mister Vanraj Shekhawat! The man didn't budge! He stood up for Malvika Singhania, irrespective of how this  controversy could affect their business! This is how a husband should be!"

The last line hit me differently. I mean I desperately wanted to send this to Meera. LMAO.

"Ahem.", Vanraj said softly as I turned towards him. He stood like a tower behind me, grinning.
"I knew that.", I lied with a smirk.

His mother noticed us and turned off the television.
"Welcome home.", She said with a smile, it looked fake to me, "Malvika you should rest. And Vanraj, I need to talk to you about Nikhil.", she said, smiling fakely.

I smiled back and walked back to our room. I had my doubts well grounded. Anyways I heard them speak about the man who loves them so much. I re opened the door quitely and tip toed out. I could hear Nikhil's voice.

"Bhai, what were you thinking?! You know this is not how business happens!", He said in an angry whisper. I stood quietly at the start of the hallway that lead to our room. 

His mother started, "Look, Vanraj. I know she is your wife, but that is namesake. She's here only because she is rich. And look at the way her name is tainted! See, you have to take hold of the company from her. Then just ask her to leave. You know power and money is everything."

I had never felt my blood boil this way. I stood with fists clutched, trying to be calm. 
"Maa, what are you saying?! See if this was otherwise, I would have done that myself. But she is my wife-"
"She is not! Bhai, please. She has no business sense! Who asked her to create a scene at all?!", Nikhil said.

Imagine! That pathetic parasite was telling Vanraj about business. Irony just suicided.

I understood what was happening and walked back to my room quietly and softly shut the door. 

No, no. I can't let these people poison his mind! 
From what I had understood, he was brain washed, obviously so that they could control him and extract money. It looked like this brainwashing was from childhood. That solves why he is so overly ambitious and power hungry! Because that's what his mother literally taught him!

And as a matter of fact, I had very serious doubts on his lineage. These were greedy people, not his parents. I drew in a deep breath and sat back on the bed.

I was lost in thought when the door creaked open.

"You haven't changed?", He asked stepping in. He opened his suit. I observed him. He looked uncomfortable. 
"I am going to sleep on the terrace for tonight. It's cool in there.", He said with a forced smile.

"Umm.. Raj, I had to tell you something.", I said softly as a plan took shape in my mind.
"Hmm..", he said opening his watch before the dressing table.
"If you want the company, I'd give it to you anytime.", I said simply. He froze, and turned towards me in shock.

"Why-why do you think-"
"I heard everything, Raj.", I said honestly. 

Yes, that's my plan. Honesty. Genius, right? Thanks!

He looked away instantly, getting very busy with the buttons of his shirt.
"See.. it's-"
"You don't need to plan and plot to get anything from me.", I said walking down to him, standing behind him, so that he saw my reflection on the mirror, "I trust you.", I added.

He looked up at me, shocked.

"You.. trust me? After all that you heard?", He asked, perplexed.
I smiled softly.
"I trust the man who stood up for me before the world.", I said truthfully. He turned towards me, staring at me.

"You should not.", He said softly.
"I have placed my trust on you, Vanraj Shekhawat. It is your choice now. If you want to break it like Meera, you may.", I took a step towards him, and looked him in the eye.

I could see fear, he was afraid of himself now.

"But yes, even if you do so.. I would not leave you-"
"You'd be a fool.", He stated, his voice seemed numb.

"It's upto you. If you want to prove me a fool, you can. Or if you want to prove me right, and my brother and everyone else wrong.. You might.", I said with a smile.
"The choice will always be yours.", I added.

As I turned and walked back to my bed. I didn't know if my words even bothered him, but I said what I had in my heart. I cannot and would not fake.

I looked at him as he was still busy with his buttons. He was doing it on purpose now. He couldn't look me in the eye anymore, of course.
I drew in a deep breath and picked up my clothes.

"Also, tomorrow we have to reach office early. The assistant messaged me that we have a meeting with the research team. And we need to finalize a name for the company.", I said, emotionlessly.

"Hmm..", He said, his throat was numb. 

Maybe I did affect him.

...

Honesty is the best policy?
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